Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I may look quite plain, even off-putting, on the outside —
but inside, my mind is the dust of everyone's feet.
Someone who looks plain or rough on the outside may be humble and kind inside.
Dees aavat hai bahut bheehaalaa — I may look quite terrible. Sagal charan kee ih man raalaa — but my mind is the dust of everyone's feet. To be "the dust of the feet" is a picture of deep humility. It means being low, gentle, and happy to serve.
How someone looks tells you little about their heart. A person who seems ordinary, or even gruff, may be the humblest one in the room. Think of an old, scuffed book cover with a wonderful story inside. So do not judge a person by their surface. Another shabad (Shabad 127) says the same.
Have you misjudged someone by their surface, then found something deeper inside?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI